Richard Barrios' 'Dangerous Rhythm' reflects on musicals' importance

Richard Barrios' 'Dangerous Rhythm' reflects on musicals' importance

Universal Pictures

Film historian Richard Barrios, author of "A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film," explores the history of movie musicals from 1927's "The Jazz Singer" to 2012's "Les Misérables" in his latest book, "Dangerous Rhythm: Why Movie Musicals Matter." Barrios describes the book as less a chronicle of the movie musical, a genre that has divided audiences like no other, and more of a reflection. "A meditation, perhaps, that takes into account the musical's aspects, tendencies, strengths and weaknesses," Barrios states in the introduction. "Where other genres simply pass in and out of style, musicals soar, careen and nose dive." Pictured: Anne Hathaway as Fantine in the movie "Les Miserables."

Film historian Richard Barrios, author of "A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film," explores the history of movie musicals from 1927's "The Jazz Singer" to 2012's "Les Misérables" in his latest book, "Dangerous Rhythm: Why Movie Musicals Matter." Barrios describes the book as less a chronicle of the movie musical, a genre that has divided audiences like no other, and more of a reflection. "A meditation, perhaps, that takes into account the musical's aspects, tendencies, strengths and weaknesses," Barrios states in the introduction. "Where other genres simply pass in and out of style, musicals soar, careen and nose dive." Pictured: Anne Hathaway as Fantine in the movie "Les Miserables." (Universal Pictures)

Film historian Richard Barrios, author of "A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film," explores the history of movie musicals from 1927's "The Jazz Singer" to 2012's "Les Misérables" in his latest book, "Dangerous Rhythm: Why Movie Musicals Matter." Barrios describes the book as less a chronicle of the movie musical, a genre that has divided audiences like no other, and more of a reflection. "A meditation, perhaps, that takes into account the musical's aspects, tendencies, strengths and weaknesses," Barrios states in the introduction. "Where other genres simply pass in and out of style, musicals soar, careen and nose dive." Pictured: Anne Hathaway as Fantine in the movie "Les Miserables."